The Middle East Now Festival: New Perspectives

April 8 – 13: MIDDLE EAST NOW FESTIVAL. Cinema Odeon, Piazza Strozzi, Florence. Cinema Stensen, Viale Don Minzoni 25/C. Films are show in the original language with Italian and English subtitles. Admission ranges from €4 to a €30 festival pass.

Casting new perspectives on the contemporary Middle East, the festival is the only cultural event in Italy dedicated to the region. Participants can enjoy the films, art and cuisine of countries ranging from Afghanistan and Egypt to Israel and Tunisia in various locations across Florence.

The sixth edition of the festival is a journey through personal narratives faced by often-unlikely protagonists. The program presents the many facets of the complex Middle Eastern society, going beyond stereotypes and common media representations.

On the program are 43 short, documentary and feature films by both emerging and established directors, many of whom will be present at the showings. The festival aims to highlight less represented locations and characters, as well as female writers, directors and photographers.

The event opens with “Tales” (April 8, 9 pm, Cinema Odeon), the first film in the tribute to award-winning Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, who has performed in over 50 films and will be a guest at the screening.

Scheduled are the European premieres of films from Morocco and Turkey, Palestine and Syria. The festival also focuses on films from the United Arab Emirates, such as “Hamama,” (April 9, 10:30 pm, Cinema Odeon) about a 90-year-old woman with a legendary gift for healing. Earlier the same evening, viewers of the Turkish coming of age film “Until I Lose my Breath” (8 pm, Cinema Odeon) are invited to sample a selection of Turkish dishes.

The following night will be a performance by Iranian hip hop artist “The Narcicyst,” as well as producer Shantel and funk band Dre Love (Flog Auditorium, April 10, 10:30 pm), with proceeds benefiting Oxfam’s efforts in Libya, Jordan and Syria. Travel in Morocco is also emphasized on the 10th with the film “The Narrow Frame of Midnight, ” (8:45 pm, Cinema Odeon, with Moroccan cuisine) a drama focusing on a writer’s journey to find his missing brother.

The 11th marks the opening of an exhibition at Etra Gallery – Studio Tommasi in two parts. “Every Day Middle East,” a project that began on Instagram, showcases compelling images of daily life in the area. “Finding the Middle East in Florence,” offers a map of Florence through 40 urban sketches of references to Middle Eastern culture found in the Renaissance city, including the synagogue, mosque, and Arabic influences found on the streets (via della Pergola 57, April 11 – May 10).

Exotic spices and flavors are the ingredients of a cooking class, “Pop Palestine Cuisine,” presented by a Hebron chef and blogger together with a Florentine chef on April 12 at the Cordon Bleu school.

The closing ceremony incorporates the presentation of prizes for the best feature and short films (the latter awarded by a student panel from NYU in Florence) with a screening of “Memories on Stone” (April 13, 9 pm, Cinema Odeon), a 1997 Kurdish film about childhood friends who produce their own movie.

This rich program is accompanied by a series of talks by journalists, authors, and experts that will highlight a diverse array of political topics. Middle East Now offers participants access to a crossroads of traditions, beliefs, and stories.

For more information on film times and synopses, visit www.middleastnow.it. (shira burns)